Container closure



Patented' May 21, 1935 STATZE amaze o 'c'ou'ra'nnmv emanan Paal Norris, Ardmore,l Pmfassign'or of Afortyfive one hundredths tolgalph McKittrlck, Villanova, Pa.

Appueef'ionnovember 10,1933, sex-mno. 697,490

z calme, y(ci. zei-sn) This inventionA relatesto new and useful improvements in' closures for containers and more K particularly to' closures for collapsible tubes such as are used in dispensing tooth paste, glue, shav-v 5 ing cream, medicinal4 compounds and like substances. t n

The principal objectl of the invention is to provide a closure for containers of the character set forth having means operative to permit easy mai nipulation thereof by the thumb or nger of the hand holding said container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of thek stated character which may be manufactured at relatively small expense and ofieredfor sale as an individual article of merchandise, or which may be substituted for the customary screw cap bythe manufacturers and vendors ofthe container or its contents.

A more specific object of the invention is to.

provide a device of the character described including a resilient sliding member operable to insure a tight closure, of the opening in the receptacle when not in use'. j Other features and objects of'the invention and the details of construction thereof are set forth more fully hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

v Fig. 1- is a view in section of the cap member or closure contemplated by the present'invention ilaislsbcc-iated with the discharge end of a collapsible Fig.2 is aiview in perspective of the cap memthe ending,

beroontemplated by this invention. Fig; 3 is a view inperspectivefof ntllenberjwhichfhas-been removed from the cap, Fig. 4 is a view in elevationof a modified form of the closure member. l

` -The invention is particularly desirable with regard to tubes containing shaving cream, dentifrice, or like substances, as it permits thetube to be held in one hand, the discharge aperture'being opened by the thumb thereof, the other hand being free 'to hold a shaving brush, tooth brush, or

5 other article te which-the substance within the tube isto beapplied. -f

- Referring now more particularly to the drawing, a closure cap made in accordance with thisl invention comprises-a cap-like structure desig- 50 nated generally as I having a circular sleeve 2 jthreaded internally as at 3 for engagement with Y corresponding threads eformea externem of.

the discharge port I of a container 5, the diameter of said sleeve 2 and the size of its threads 3a depending respectively upon the size of the port clean at all times.

l of said containeri and the threads 3a formed thereon. A, o

In the present instance ar'web 6 having an; 'aperture 1. therein in alignment with the opening of the port l extends over the upper end of the 5 sleeve 2. Side walls 8 extend upwardly from the longitudinal edges of said web, 'and' asshown in Fig. 2 the upper edge of each -side wall 8 is bent or turned inwardly as at 9, so that they extend toward each other and reside in a plane parallel 10 to the plane of the web 6. The side walls 8 and the inwardly formed upper edges l constitute guide ways for a sliding closure member which is described more in detail hereinafter.

"planar with bne another as shown in the drawing'.

A closure member or `blade II is. slidably re- 20 tained on the web 6A by means of th'eguide ways or runners formed by the side walls 8 and the inwardly projecting portions 9.- -Preferably the closure member II is made of a strip of spring steel or other resilient metal, which is bent double 25 as shown in Fig. 3, in order that the lower arm I2a thereof will be forced against the web l andV more perfectly seal the opening 1 therein to prevent discharge from the tube. The extremity or free endvof the upper arm I2b of the closure -30 member II is formed to'provide'an abutment I3 for engagement by the thumb or finger of Va -person holding the tube so thatA said member I I. may

be readily moved longitudinally of the cap I.A

` For the purpose of retaining the sliding closure 35 i member II at all times longitudinally within the bracket or cap the extreme edge of the laterally extending portion III of the web i is bent upwardly to form astop- Il and the other 'end edge of I the4 web l is`bent upwardly to form a stop I 5 Vat 4o the other end of said cap. g A modification of the closure member II is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing and comprises upper and lower arms I2 a and IIb as previously described together with thethumb engaging .pnr-` 45 tion I3. However it will be noticed that a forwardly projectingy tongue It is formed v,co-planar with the lower arm I2a\ at the bend orfold in the strip I.I and extends a small distance therebeyond. rlhe tongue I6 functions to shear the 50 ex'cess substance discharged from the tube or container from the cap and maintain the surface of the web I and the guideways substantially nneebeenemeatne mememer n repre:- r

f with respect A erably is molded position, or the sanie may be fabrielement svlidable grooves formed by the anges. said anges enerably formed from aspring steelor other resilient strip and in addition it is pointed out that the cap, including the sleeve 2, web 6 and guide ways constitute an integral structure which pref' bakelite or other hard fibrous -or rubber com cated ofimetalas d esired.v

Hvihileaspeciic embodiment of the invention has been set forth i'or purposes of description it is not intended that the same be specifically limited" thereto within thescope of the appended Claims. 4j f Whatisclaimedis: v l. Aclosure for containers comprising au integralsleev element adapted to be threaded on to the discharge Aneckvof alcontainer, said sleeve 'including a toplportion provided with an opening thereinaligned with the discharge port of the container, side walls extending from opposite sides of said top portion, ,ilanges extending inwardly from saidsidewalls in spaced. relation tothe top of said sleevebeyond the ends of said side walls in the plane of the top' portion, a resilient closure on said top portion in "the 'tegral sleeve element the container, sides of said top portion, flanges-extending inportion to form parallel undercut grooves,a projection extending` laterally thereof `from said sleeve gaging the upper surface of said resilient closure element and compressing the same rmly against the top portion, and means at the extremitypt said projection closurefrom the sleeve element.

2. A closure for containers comprising an inadapted tobe threaded on, to the discharge neck to prevent displacement of said oi.' aA container, said sleev including@ top portion, provided with an opening therein aligned with the discharge port of side walls extending from opposite vgardly fromy said side walls in spaced relation with rspeet to the top portion to form parallel undercut grooves, a projection extending laterally of `said sleeve beyond the ends of said'side walls v4,in the plane of, the top portion, a doubled resilient closure element slidableon said top portion vand in the groovesiormed by the flanges, said Jlanges engaging the surface 'of the upper arm of said doubled resilient closure element and compressing the element tion, and` means atthe extremity of said projectionrranged to e'ngage the lower free end of said closurerelement tofprevent displacement element.

PAUL NORRIS.

firmly against the topI por' 

